I-5 Traffic Cameras: Complete Interstate 5 Guide - California to Washington

Interstate 5 is the longest north-south interstate in the United States, spanning 1,381 miles from the Mexican border at San Ysidro, California to the Canadian border at Blaine, Washington. As the primary spine of the West Coast, I-5 connects three states and handles some of the highest traffic volumes in North America. According to USDOT data, the busiest urban segments in the Los Angeles area recorded an Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of over 504,000 vehicles, making it a critical NAFTA freight corridor linking major Pacific ports. Every camera is plotted on an interactive map — zoom, search, and click to view any location instantly.

I-5 Route Overview

I-5 traverses the entire Pacific seaboard through California (796 miles), Oregon (308 miles), and Washington (277 miles). The interstate passes through vastly different terrain — from sea-level coastal plains to mountain passes exceeding 4,000 feet elevation.

According to the FHWA, real-time traffic monitoring helps drivers make safer, more informed decisions. Research published in the FHWA Operations Benefit/Cost Database shows that real-time traveler information systems can reduce incident-related delays by up to 40% by providing drivers with the intelligence needed to choose alternate routes.

Major Cities Along I-5

State-by-State I-5 Guide

California (796 miles)

California contains the longest I-5 segment, stretching from the Mexican border at San Ysidro to the Oregon state line north of Yreka. The route passes through America's second-largest city, the agriculturally vital Central Valley, and some of the most challenging mountain terrain on the West Coast.

• San Diego: Southern terminus with heavy border traffic from the Tijuana crossing. Connects to I-8 and I-15.
• Los Angeles: The I-5/I-405 East Los Angeles Interchange handles over 400,000 vehicles daily — the busiest in the nation. Five levels of ramps create constant congestion. INRIX research has identified segments of I-5 in Southern California as among the most congested in the country, with motorists in the region experiencing some of the highest delays in the nation.
• The Grapevine (Tejon Pass): 4,144-foot elevation pass with steep 6% grades over 4 miles. Regular winter closures due to snow and ice — sometimes for days. Check cameras before any winter travel.
• Central Valley: Sacramento to Bakersfield stretch through the agricultural heartland. Dense tule fog from November through March can reduce visibility to near zero.
• Redding: Last major city before Siskiyou Pass. I-5 climbs steadily through the Shasta region.

Oregon (308 miles)

Oregon's I-5 runs the length of the Willamette Valley — the state's population center — from the Siskiyou Mountains at the California border to the Columbia River at Portland. The route passes through all three of Oregon's largest cities.

• Siskiyou Pass: Highest point on I-5 at 4,310 feet. Steep grades, tight curves, and winter weather create hazardous conditions. Chain requirements common December through March.
• Medford: Regional hub for Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley. First services after the Siskiyou summit northbound.
• Eugene: University of Oregon traffic, junction with OR-126 to the coast. Fog zone begins.
• Salem: State capital with weekday commuter patterns.
• Portland Rose Quarter: Notorious bottleneck where I-5, I-84, and I-405 converge. Daily backups extend for miles during rush hour.

Washington (277 miles)

Washington's I-5 corridor connects the Portland metropolitan area (via Vancouver, WA) to the Canadian border at Blaine. The route serves the state's two largest military installations and passes through the Puget Sound region's dense urban core.

• Vancouver: Portland suburb on the Washington side. Columbia River crossing creates a daily chokepoint.
• Olympia: State capital and junction with US-101 (Olympic Peninsula).
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM): Military base between Tacoma and Olympia creates unique traffic patterns during deployment schedules and training exercises.
• Tacoma: Port city with heavy commercial traffic from the Port of Tacoma.
• Seattle: Downtown express lanes reverse direction based on rush hour — northbound mornings, southbound evenings. Junctions with I-90 and SR-520. According to WSDOT, I-5 through Downtown Seattle is Washington's busiest highway, carrying an average of 274,000 vehicles per day. The 2024 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard ranked Seattle as the 10th most congested city in the U.S., with the average driver losing 63 hours to traffic delays annually.
• Bellingham: Last major city before Peace Arch Border Crossing to Canada. Summer weekend wait times can exceed 2 hours.

Critical Challenge Areas

California Challenges

• The Grapevine (Tejon Pass): 4,144-foot elevation with steep 6% grades. Regular winter closures — sometimes for days. Check cameras before any winter travel.
• I-5/I-405 Interchange (East LA): Busiest interchange in the United States with over 400,000 daily vehicles.
• Central Valley Tule Fog: Dense ground fog from November through March can reduce visibility to near zero. Multi-vehicle pileups are common. Camera monitoring is essential.
• Bay Area Convergence: Traffic from I-5 merging toward San Francisco via I-580/I-680 creates regional bottlenecks.

Oregon Challenges

• Siskiyou Pass: Highest point on I-5 at 4,310 feet. Steep grades, tight curves, and winter weather. Chain requirements common December through March.
• Portland Rose Quarter: I-5, I-84, and I-405 converge here with daily backups extending for miles during rush hour.
• Willamette Valley Fog: Dense morning fog affects the Eugene-Salem-Portland corridor October through February.

Washington Challenges

• Seattle Downtown Express Lanes: Reversible lanes change direction — northbound mornings, southbound evenings. Check cameras to verify current configuration.
• JBLM Traffic: Military base between Tacoma and Olympia creates unpredictable traffic patterns during deployment schedules.
• Peace Arch Border Crossing: Wait times can exceed 2 hours on summer weekends and holidays. Camera monitoring helps time crossings.
• Seattle Rain: Persistent drizzle creates slick conditions and reduces visibility year-round.

Peak Traffic Times by City

Freight and Commercial Traffic

I-5 is a critical NAFTA corridor connecting Mexican manufacturing, US markets, and Canadian trade:

• Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach: 40% of all US container imports. I-5 carries this freight north to distribution centers throughout the West.
• Port of Seattle/Tacoma: Major gateway for Asian imports and Alaska trade. I-5 connects to transcontinental routes via I-90.
• Agricultural Freight: California's Central Valley produces 25% of US food. I-5 carries refrigerated trucks north year-round.
• Cross-Border Trade: Mexican maquiladora goods flow north through San Diego; Canadian lumber and resources flow south through Blaine.

Using TrafficVision.Live for I-5

TrafficVision.Live aggregates traffic cameras from Caltrans (California), ODOT (Oregon), and WSDOT (Washington) into a single interface. Search "I-5" to filter cameras along the route, or combine with city names (e.g., "I-5 Portland") for metro-specific views. With 135,000+ cameras from 600+ official sources across 130+ countries, TrafficVision.Live is the most comprehensive traffic monitoring platform available.

State Guides Along I-5

• California Traffic Cameras
• Oregon Traffic Cameras
• Washington Traffic Cameras

Other Interstate Guides

• I-95 Traffic Cameras (East Coast)
• I-10 Traffic Cameras (Southern)
• I-80 Traffic Cameras (Transcontinental)

Traffic Camera Resources

• How Traffic Cameras Work
• Best Times to Check Cameras
• Custom Routes for Traffic Camera Monitoring